Harrison Bay State Park – Renovated And Soaring Like An Eagle

  • Monday, April 27, 2015
  • Jim Ashley
With 40 miles of shoreline bordering the Tennessee River, the 1,200-acre Harrison Bay State Park is an outdoor paradise that has become even more heavenly with recent renovations, a new bathhouse and newly constructed campground.

The two-phase, $4.05 million project was made possible via the Tennessee State Building Commission, which approved funding in July 2013. Construction work on the project began last fall.

Included in the renovations were upgraded roadways and existing campsites (new water lines, new underground electrical lines and refurbished existing bathhouses).
The new bathhouse features very clean non-gender rooms that are air conditioned and heated year round. WIFI has also been added to the park, much to the delight of campers who like to stay connected to the Internet, and the Park's marina has been extensively renovated.

The new waterlines enable camp section A (one of four) to be open year-round instead of being closed during the cold winter months, according to Larry Speer of Friends of Harrison Bay, a group founded as part of 1993 legislation passed by the State of Tennessee to promote and enhance the resources for state parks. Last September, the group expanded the park's wildlife capabilities by adding a captive raptor program, which includes an aviary that currently houses a great-horned owl, a red-tailed hawk and a turkey vulture. The birds, according to Mr. Speer, have been hit by vehicles and cannot be released into the wild.

The new campground (B) includes 88 campsites and a new bathhouse. The south end of camp B is close to Fishing Peer Road and overlooks the marina.

Prime camp sites located close to and beside the Tennessee River at Harrison Bay have been made level, repaved and expanded to accommodate larger campers and RVs, Mr. Speer said, noting that the project included “taking a lot of trees out” to expand camping accommodations and adding large rocks and mesh to the shore to prevent erosion, which had been a problem in recent years, taking out as much as “20 to 25 feet of shoreline.”

Recently enjoying one of the prime camping sites on the shore of the river were Cleveland, Tenn., residents, Roy Sherlin and his wife, Camille, and their granddaughter, Rayelyn. Camille, who was celebrating her 50th birthday, said they have stayed at the park many times in the past and that the recent improvements are very noticeable and much appreciated, especially the enlarged campsites.

Looking around their campsite, you could see there was plenty of space surrounding their camper, picnic table and portable barbecue grill.

Reserving a campsite is easy, according to Camille, who explained that she always goes to the park's website (http://tnstateparks.com/parks/about/harrison-bay) and uses the online reservations page. Mr. Speer added that campsites may be reserved as much as 11 months in advance for up to two weeks at a time. Costs per site range from $11 to $27.50. Taxes and fees are not included. Rates are subject to change. And there is a $3 reservation fee per site that is non-refundable.

In all at the park, there are 128 RV campsites with water and electrical hookups and a limited number that can accommodate RVs up to 65 ft. There is one centralized dumping station, and bathhouses are located at each of the four camping areas, as well as at a playground located near an Olympic-size swimming pool.

There are 21 tent-only campsites that do not have electrical/water hookups. Tents can be put up beside the RV but is limited to one family unit per site.

Also renovated at Harrison Bay State Park was its marina, which includes 161 covered slips, 28 uncovered slips and four sailboat slips. It can accommodate boats 20 to 60 feet long. Costs for parking a boat can be obtained at the park's website.

The Dockside Cafe, located at the marina, is still being completely renovated, and, according to the website of the breakfast brunch and seafood restaurant, it will be open in late May.

Of course, Harrison Bay State Park also includes Bear Trace, a Jack Nicklaus designed golf course, one of the most highly recognized environmentally sensitive courses in the nation and certified by Audubon International. Additionally, there is a 4.5-mile paved bike and hiking trail and tennis courts.

And there is also the popular Internet site Harrison Bay Eagle Cam (http://harrisonbayeaglecam.org/?page_id=1726), where every winter and spring, you can watch and hear a mother bald eagle as she lays her eggs, sits on them till they hatch and then feeds them until they are able to fly away. The high definition camera is located in a tall tree near the Tennessee River.

Harrison Bay State Park has an interesting history. According to its website, “It was originally developed as a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) recreation area in the 1930s. Its name is derived from a large bay at the main channel of the Tennessee River that covers the old town of Harrison, and the last Cherokee Campground.

The park lands are historically significant because the Cherokee Campground consisted of three villages which were ruled by one of the last great Cherokee Chieftains. Harrison Bay became the first Tennessee State Park in 1937.”
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